Flashlight switch

ABSTRACT

A flashlight switch combining reliable, positive-action operation with ease of assembly and disassembly. Two terminals are formed integral with the flashlight body and two contact strips are secured to the terminals by screws which also serve to secure a switch cover to the body. A switch button protrudes through an opening in the cover and the lower side of the button has a camming surface which cooperates with one of the contact strips to close the switch in a positive manner. The switch has an off position, an intermediate non-lock position in which the contacts may be momentarily operated upon depression of the switch button and a lock-on position in which the contacts are held in fixed engagement by a cam projection on the switch button. The cam operated movable contact is configured in such manner so that two switch operative modes are possible.

United States Patent 1191 Keller Nov. 26, 1974 FLASHLIGHT SWITCH PrimaryExaminer.la'mes R. Scott [75] Inventor. Donald A. Keller, San Dimas,Calif. y, g or Firm Fulwider Patton Rieber, [73] Assignee: Pro-LightInc., Los Angeles, Calif. L & Utecht 22] Filed: Sept. 21, 1973 21 Appl.No.2 399,756 [571 ABSTRACT A flashlight switch combining reliable,positive-action 52 us. (:1 200/60, 200/302, 200/329, operetion with easeassembly? disassemblye TWO 240/1066 termmals are formed 1ntegral w1ththe flashhght body 51 1111.131 F21v 23/04, HOlh 9/02 and two CPmactStrips are Secured to F terminals by [58] Field of Search H zoo/6 R 6 B,6 BB 6 BA, screws wh1ch also serve to secure a switch cover to the ZOO/6C, 16 R 60, 237450, 302 329; body. A switch button protrudes through anopening 240/84, 112 R 1066 in the cover and the lower side of the buttonhas a camming surface which cooperates with one of the 56] ReferencesCited i intact strlipfi to close fthe switch in a positivg manner.

e swltc as an o os1t1on, an lnterme late non- UNITED STATES PATENTS lockposition in which tEe contacts may be momentarl,902,590 3/1933 Shannon200/60 Operated upon depression 0f the Switch button and sgy 'g alock-on position in which the contacts are held in 2 466414 4/1949 0115311111 11, IIT200 329 x fixed engagement by a cam projection on h Switch2:477:5l6 7/1949 Haas 200/60 bum) The cam operated movable ContactConfig' 2599295 6/1952 Thomas 200,60 ,ured in such manner so that twoswitch operative 3,162,376 12/1964 Furuya ..1 200/60 x modes arePossible- 3,221,115 I 1/1965 Feher, Jr 1 200/250 X 3,226,502 12/1965SChOIZ 200/60 4 Clalms 6 Drawmg Flglres FLASHLIGHT SWITCH BACKGROUND OFTHE INVENTION This invention relates to flashlight switches, and inparticular to switches for flashlights made for the most part frommolded plastics.

Since a flashlight switch establishes an electrical connection betweenone or more batteries and a light bulb, it is essential for such aswitch to provide positive and reliable operation over a long period ofrepeated usage. It is also highly desirable for a flashlight switch tocombine this reliability of operation with: ease of assembly andreplacement of components, rugged and weatherresistant construction, andability to function either as a positive action switch, holding in an onposition, or

as a momentary switch, remaining on only while the switch is depressed.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention resides in an improvedflashlight switch which combines the advantages of reliability, positiveaction, ease of assembly and replacement of components, and rugged,weather-resistant construction. The switch includes a fixed contactstrip and a movable contact strip, each connected to a terminal, and asliding switch button fitted to protrude through an opening in a coverenclosing the contactstrips, and movable to cam the movable contactstrip into contact with the fixed contact strip, thereby closing theswitch.

In the preferred embodiment of the invention, the switch is fitted tothe outside of a molded flashlight body, and the terminals are threadedmetal inserts in the wall of the body. Conducting strips are connectedto the terminals on the inside of the wall, and the contact strips andthe cover are secured to the outside of the wall by screws engaged withthe threaded terminals. The threaded portions of these screws are coatedwith an insulating material so that there is no possibility of switchingon the flashlight by inadvertent electrical contact between the heads ofthe screws.

The cover is made from a durable, molded plastic, and, together with thesliding switch button fitted snugly into the opening of thecover,effectively protects the switch against the weather and against roughhandling. Furthermore, the cover is easily removable and replaceableshould any of the components of the switch require replacement.

The switch may be operated either by sliding the button from an offposition to an on position and thus holding the switch on by thespring-like action of the movable contact strip, or by sliding thebutton to a central position and then pressing it against the movablecontact strip to close the switch momentarily until the button isreleased.

Other aspects and advantages of the invention will become apparent fromthe following detailed description, taking in conjunction with theaccompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective viewshowing the components of the switch and including a diagrammaticalrepresentation of the electrical circuit of the flashlight;

FIG. 4 is a side elevational view of the assembled switch in the onposition, shown in cross-section;

FIG. 5 is a sectional view of the assembled switch taken substantiallyalong the line 5-5 of FIG. 2; and

FIG. 6 is a view of the switch button taken substantially along the line66 of FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION As shown in the drawings for purposes ofillustration, the invention is embodied in a flashlight switch.Typically, the switch, indicated generally by the reference number 10,is mounted on the flashlight body 11, and completes an electricalcircuit connecting a bulb 12 and one or more batteries 13. Broadly, theswitch provides the means for electrically connecting and disconnectinga forward terminal 14 and a rear terminal 15, in response to themovement of a switch button 17.

In accordance with the present invention, the switch 10 comprises afixed contact strip 18 connected to the forward terminal 14, a movablecontact strip 19 connected to the rear terminal 15, a cover 20 securedto the body 11 to surround the contact strips and protect the entireswitch from the elements and from rough handling, and the sliding switchbutton 17 fitted beneath the cover to protrude through an elongatedopening 21 in the cover. The button 17 has a camming surface 22 on itsunderside which cooperates with the movable contact strip 19 to move itinto contact with the fixed contact strip 18. Besides providing arugged, reliable, positive-action switch, the invention has theadvantage of being easily disassembled for replacement of parts.

More specifically, in the preferred embodiment the flashlight body 11includes a hollow tube molded from a tough plastic material, and theterminals 14 and 15 are small metal inserts formed integral with thecylinder wall and extending through it without protruding. Eachterminals has a threaded hole through it and is permanently connected toone of two conducting strips 23 and 24 running along the inside surfaceof the tube as shown, or formed integral with the tube wall.

The fixed contact strip 18 is a relatively short flat metal strip with ahole 25 close to its forward end, by which the element is held incontact with the forward terminal 14 by the cover 21 and a screw 27,which also serves to secure the cover to the flashlight body. Similarly,the movable contact stip 19 is also a flat metal strip with a hole 28close to its rear end, by which it is held in contact with the rearterminal 15 by the cover and a second screw 29. The contact strips 18and 19, while flat in cross-section, have certain distinctive contoursover their length, as will be subsequently described in some detail. Thecontact strips 18 and 19 are positioned in substantial alignment betweenthe two terminals, and although neither is long enough to span thedistance between the terminals, the movable contact strip 19 is thelonger of the two and partly overlaps the fixed contact strip 18.

The switch cover 20 is a single-piece plastic molding having side walls30, a generally oval-shaped, flat top wall 31 and a flange-like portion32 surrounding the side walls. (See FIG. 1. The flange-like portion 32is curved to fit snugly against the curved wall of the flashlight body11 and has two holes 33 to receive the screws 27 and 29 for assembly ofthe switch. When fitted to the flashlightbody 11, the cover 20 forms anelongated cavity of varying depth, in which the contact strips 18 and 19and the switch button 17.are contained.

The elongated opening 21 in the cover 20 is centrally located in the topwall 31 of the cover. On the inside of this top wall 31, close to thesides of the opening 21, are two parallel guide rails 34 formed integralwith the cover 20 and extending for substantially the entire length ofthe top wall. The rails slope slightly downward toward the rear end ofthe cover 20 in which the fixed contact strip 18 is located. That is,the rails project further from the top wall 31 at the rear end of thecover 20.

The switch button 17 is also a single-piece plastic molding. It isgenerally rectangular in shape, with upwardly facing grooves 35 (FIG.along its sides to engage the depending guide rails 34 in the cover 20.The button 17 has a flat upper surface which is normally held securelyagainst the underface of the top wall 31 of the cover 20 to completelyfill the opening 21. A raised, round portion 37 in the center of theupper surface of the button 17 protrudes through the opening 21 and hasa grooved, convex upper end to provide a positive grip for operation bya persons thumb or finger. The switch button 17 has a lower surfacedefined by two raised longitudinal ridges 38 along its sides, and asubstantially flat portion between said ridges, forming the cammingsurface 22. The camming surface 22 has three raised, half-round ridges39, 40 and 41 across its width, a forward ridge 39 close to the forwardend, a rearward ridge 40 close to the rearward end of the cammingsurface, and a central ridge 41 located slightly rearward of themidpoint between the forward and rearward ridges. Depending from thelongitudinal ridges 38 are two forwardly located lugs 42 and tworearwardly located lugs 43, the four lugs extending downwardly from thefour comers of the switch button 17 substantially beyond the half-roundridges 39, 40 and 41.

The switch is assembled with the rearward end of the camming surface 22of the button 17 adjacent the rear terminal and overlying the movablecontact strip 19. The movable contact strip 19 viewed in elevation has aforwardly extending curved portion 44, convex when viewed from above,including two adjacently located convex humps 45 (rearward) and 46(forward) near the midpoint of the strip. When the switch is in its offposition, the switch button 17 is positioned as close as possible to therear terminal 15 to which the movable contact strip 19 is connected, thelugs 42 and 43 touch the body 11 to prevent closing of the switchcontacts, and the switch button is held in position by action of thehumps 45 and 46 against the rearward ridge 40 and the central ridge 41,respectively. The rearward ridge 40 and the central ridge 41 thus act toresist movement of the switch button 17 and hold the switch positivelyin the off" position.

As the switch button 17 is moved to the central position, the rearwardand central ridges 40 and 41 slide over the convex humps 45 and 46,respectively, and come to rest straddling the forward hump 46. In thisposition, the rearward lugs 43 are still touching the body 11, but theforward lugs 42 have been lifted from the body by the movement of theswitch button 17 up the sloping rails 34 on the button cover. 20. Thespace I between the fixed contact strip 18 and the movable contact strip19 at this central position is slightly less than the clearance betweenthe forward lugs 42 and the body 11. Thus, the contacts may bemomentarily closed by pushing down on the switch button 17 against thespring-like action of the movable contact strip 19.

As the switch button 17 is moved further forwardly to an on position,the rearward ridge of the camming surface 22 slides up over the forwardhump on the movable contact strip 19, which is thereby forced intopositive contact with the fixed contact strip 18. The switch button 17is held in this on position by the action of the rearward ridge 40 onthe forward hump 45.

It is a further refinement of the preferred embodiment that the screws27 and 29, used to hold the assembled switch together on the flashlightbody 11, are coated on their threaded portions with an insulatingmaterial (not shown). By this means, the heads of the screws areeffectively insulated from the electrical circuit of the flashlight, andthere is no possibility of switching on the flashlight merely byinadvertent electrical connection between the heads of the screws.

From the foregoing, it will be seen that the flashlight switch in thefonn shown herein for purposes of illustration combines .the desirablefeatures of rugged, weather-resistant construction, reliable andpositive operation, and ease of assembly and replacement of parts. Itwill also be seen that, while one particular form of the invention hasbeen illustrated and described, various modifications can be madewithout departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

l claim:

1. In a flashlight having an insulated body, the combination comprising:

first and second terminals integral with the body;

a fixed contact strip secured to said first tenninal and extendingtoward said second terminal exteriorly along the body;

a resilient movable contact strip secured to said second terminal andextending toward said first terminal in partly overlapping relationshipwith said fixed contact strip, said movable contact strip beinggenerally arcuate in shape with at least one convex hump of relativelysmall radius intermediate its ends;

a hollow switch cover having side walls and a top wall, said switchcover being removably secured to the flashlight body to surround saidfixed and movable contact strips, and said top wall having an elongatedopening therethrough; and

a switch button sized to fit under said switch cover to overlie saidmovable contact strip and protrude partly through said elongatedopening, said switch button having at least two transverse ribsthereunder, and being movable between an off" position, in which both ofsaid ribs are positioned on the side of said convex hump closer to saidsecond terminal, and an on" position, in which both of said ribs arepositioned on the opposite side of said convex hump and said movablecontact strip is thereby cammed into electrical contact with said fixedcontact strip, said switch button also being movable to an intermediateposition, between said of and on positions, in which said ribs straddlesaid convex hump and in which said resilient movable contact strip ismovable into momentary contact with said fixed contact strip bymomentary depression of said switch button, whereby said ribs and saidconvex hump coact as a detent to provide positive retention of saidswitch button in any of said off", on and intermediate positions.

2. The combination defined in claim 1, further including at least twoscrews extending through holes in said switch cover and throughcorresponding holes in said contact strips to engage correspondingthreaded holes in said terminals and thereby to secure said switch coverand said contact strips to the flashlight body and to hold said contactstrips in electrical contact with said terminals.

3. The combination defined in claim 1, wherein:

said switch button has three transverse ribs thereunder; and

said movable contact strip has a plurality convex humps intermediate itsends, with concave depressions between adjacent ones of said humpsspaced along said movable contact strip to coact with said ridges andthereby positively retain said switch button at any of said off, on andintermediate positions.

4. The combination defined in claim 1, wherein:

said switch button and said switch cover are provided withinter-engaging complementary guide-rail and groove means for guidingsaid switch button between said on and off positions, said guide-railmeans being inclined with respect to the flashlight body thereby toposition said switch button closer to the body in said off position thanin said onposition; and

said switch button is further provided with at least one lug dependingtherefrom to abut the flashlight body in said of position but not insaid on or intermediate positions, thereby to prevent depression of saidswitch button and consequent contact between said contact strips in saidoff position.

1. In a flashlight having an insulated body, the combination comprising:first and second terminals integral with the body; a fixed contact stripsecured to said first terminal and extending toward said second terminalexteriorly along the body; a resilient movable contact strip secured tosaid second terminal and extending toward said first terminal in partlyoverlapping relationship with said fixed contact strip, said movablecontact strip being generally arcuate in shape with at least one convexhump of relatively small radius intermediate its ends; a hollow switchcover having side walls and a top wall, said switch cover beingremovably secured to the flashlight body to surround said fixed andmovable contact strips, and said top wall having an elongated openingtherethrough; and a switch button sized to fit under said switch coverto overlie said movable contact strip and protrude partly through saidelongated opening, said switch button having at least two transverseribs thereunder, and being movable between an ''''off'''' position, inwhich both of said ribs are positioned on the side of said convex humpcloser to said second terminal, and an ''''on'''' position, in whichboth of said ribs are positioned on the opposite side of said convexhump and said movable contact strip is thereby cammed into electricalcontact with said fixed contact strip, said switch button also beingmovable to an intermediate position, between said ''''off'''' and''''on'''' positions, in which said ribs straddle said convex hump andin which said resilient movable contact strip is movable into momentarycontact with said fixed contact strip by momentary depression of saidswitch button, whereby said ribs and said convex hump coact as a detentto provide positive retention of said switch button in any of said''''off''''on'''' and intermediate positions.
 2. The combination definedin claim 1, further including at least two screws extending throughholes in said switch cover and through corresponding holes in saidcontact strips to engage corresponding threaded holes in said terminalsand thereby to secure said switch cover and said contact strips to theflashlight body and to hold said contact strips in electrical contactwith said terminals.
 3. The combination defined in claim 1, wherein:said switch button has three transverse ribs thereunder; and saidmovable contact strip has a plurality convex humps intermediate itsends, with concave depressions between adjacent ones of said humpsspaced along said movable contact strip to coact with said ridges andthereby positiVely retain said switch button at any of said ''''off,''''''''on'''' and intermediate positions.
 4. The combination defined inclaim 1, wherein: said switch button and said switch cover are providedwith inter-engaging complementary guide-rail and groove means forguiding said switch button between said ''''on'''' and ''''off''''positions, said guide-rail means being inclined with respect to theflashlight body thereby to position said switch button closer to thebody in said ''''off'''' position than in said ''''on'''' position; andsaid switch button is further provided with at least one lug dependingtherefrom to abut the flashlight body in said ''''off'''' position butnot in said ''''on'''' or intermediate positions, thereby to preventdepression of said switch button and consequent contact between saidcontact strips in said ''''off'''' position.